


100 Degrees

by Shescella



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26399659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shescella/pseuds/Shescella
Summary: Aerith gets sick. Cloud claims he has a strong immune system. As a result, they make a bet.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 14
Kudos: 115





	100 Degrees

**Author's Note:**

> Yaaay here's a oneshot from one of my kofi donors! Enjoy~ Just pointless fluff hehe

They were in the middle of travel during the day when a hot, red flush of a fever slowly crept its way up to Aerith's cheeks. At first, she blamed it on the summer heat. Scorching waves simmered their mirage across the horizon of the land that stretched in front of them, so she didn't think there was anything wrong as the group marched forth to reach the nearest town. Because everyone was quick on their feet to escape the hot sand and finally rest at an actual inn for the first time in a week, she didn't want to slow them down. So, blaming the intense temperature for her slight dizziness, Aerith continued forth, watching as Red's strong limbs led the group with his powerful sense of smell.

It wasn't until moonlight settled when someone finally noticed the paleness that gleamed underneath Aerith's cold sweat.

"Aerith, are you alright?"

At the sound of Tifa's inquisition, everyone stopped in their tracks and turned around to see what was up. Brought forth into the spotlight, Aerith blinked before she nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm fine! What, do I not look it?"

Crossing his arms, Cloud peered at Aerith's complexion before he sighed.

"Red, when will we reach town?"

Red peeked his nose higher in the air before he took a couple of sniffs. Already knowing what their next course of action was, he sat on his haunches before clearing his throat.

"Supposing that we continue with our current speed, it would take another three hours or so. We are quite a few miles away—I propose we stop here for today." Then, with his ears tall and keen, he nodded before he fully laid down on the still-warm sand. "Fortunately, we have a stream close by and the last of our supplies to make it through the night. There is no rush."

"Wait, we can continue," Aerith insisted. "The stars are bright today, and we're not that much further away from resting underneath a roof after an excruciating week. I'm fine, really!"

"Aerith, you're literally burning," Tifa said worriedly. She took off her glove and placed the back of her hand against the Cetra's forehead, only to retract it back in surprise. "How long have you been like this? It's probably from the cold night two days ago, isn't it? You should've said something if you weren't feeling good."

"I might've caught a cold, but it's no biggie."

"…"

Cloud stepped forward with arms crossed against his chest, expression unamused. Aerith had expected the close examination, but what she didn't expect was for him to suddenly give her a light shove by the shoulder.

"What the—"

Aerith suddenly felt the whole world beneath her spin out of control as she struggled to find her footing. It was only when Cloud reached out and steadied her by the wrist that she found stability again, but her vision still rattled a bit as she caught her breath from the surprise.

"No biggie," repeated Cloud, poorly unconvinced with Aerith's impaired balance. Letting her go, he signaled towards Barret with a single nod with his head. "Barret, want to set up the tents here tonight?"

"No problem," the big man said gruffly before he put down his bags of supplies and went to work.

"Red, want to go with me to the stream? We should get some water for Aerith and for everyone," Tifa suggested. At the sound of her call, Red smoothly stood up on all fours once more before giving a nod of agreement. Together, the two left the established camp with buckets as Barret and Cloud went to work to set up the tents. A bit stunned to see the entire gang reach a unanimous decision for her regard so quickly, Aerith dumbly sat down and watched the activity unfold before her eyes.

"… Do you guys need any help?"

"Sit tight there, Aerith," Barret assured as he attached sticks together and slid them through the cloth of the tent. "We don't need no extra hands for something as small as this, no worries."

"What he said," Cloud roughly added.

When they finished setting up the first tent, Cloud beckoned Aerith over with a hand. Obediently, she came over as he held the flap for her to enter.

"You guys really didn't have to," Aerith said, but the appreciation in her tired voice was immense as she crawled into the enclosed space. Cloud followed suit as he helped set her up for the night.

"No point in continuing if you're just going to drop dead any second," Cloud retorted as his hands busied to tie up a small light on the side of the tent. "All of us are tired anyway. If not you, then Barret would've been the one demanding a break. There was no way we would've reached town by tonight with his type of stamina."

"Aw, trying to make me feel better?" Aerith cooed, eyebrow perked as she gave her bodyguard a teasing gaze. There was something about the way he spoke that made it so obvious how he wore his heart on his sleeve. From the first second, she knew his tough guy persona was just a cover-up, but she nonetheless found it adorable. "I assure you, no cold can stop me!"

"Who said I was worried?" the mercenary grumbled, avoiding her look as he kept his eyes trained on delicately tying a knot for the light. Testing to make sure it didn't fall, he dusted his hands before sighing for the nth time. "There. Now please, don't go wandering off when you're sick. Seems like something you'd do."

"Where else would I go in the middle of nowhere?" she giggled, appreciating how he had already set up her futon and pillow. As much as she would like to take a dip in the stream, she doubted anyone would let her go anywhere near the sharp, cold water. So, she willed herself to just go through another shower-less night until the next morning.

As she stuck her feet into the softness of her futon, she had to hold in her gasp of surprise when Cloud unexpectedly loomed over her figure. Taking off one of his gauntlets, he firmly placed a hand underneath her hair and felt her fever.

"You're really hot," muttered Cloud, eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Were you walking like this the entire day? Tifa's right—you should've said something."

"I didn't want to slow anyone down," she laughed softly, but Cloud didn't find any humor in her words as he gave her a look of disapproval. "I think everyone here's sick of having canned beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, hm?"

"After so many days, I don't think anyone's thinking about their appetite anymore," Cloud stated. Aerith thought he was going to leave when he went towards the entrance of the tent, but was relieved when he simply stuck half of his body out to reach for his bag from the outside. Rummaging through it, he pulled out a water bottle for her which she took gratefully. "I think we're all anticipating an actual bed more than a proper meal at this rate, but it's alright."

"But tis the life of a traveler! Don't you think there's a fun, adventurous side to it all?"

"… Drink your water already. You'll need it."

Cloud watched as Aerith downed half the bottle. Wiping the excess liquid that managed to slip down her neck, Aerith let out a long breath of relief as the refreshing coldness of the water cleansed her from within. When she caught Cloud staring, she stared back. However, she realized that he was just studying her complexion, which seemed to be reddening by the second.

"You're not looking so good," he said, voice finally cracking a bit to let some worry seep out of it. "I think you should lay down and head to sleep early. I'll get a wet towel for your head or something—it's the best we can do."

"I'm just feeling hot, but other than that, I'm feeling fi—" Aerith instantly covered her mouth as she entered a harsh coughing fit. Just like that, the fatigue finally registered in her body as her limbs felt shaky and heavy.

"Where's Tifa and Red with the water?" Cloud muttered as he took the water bottle she just drank out of and went outside. "Hey, Barret, you got any spare, clean cloth?"

"Why?" the gunman grunted as he finished setting up the second and last tent.

"Aerith's running a really high fever right now."

"Lemme see. Here." Looking through his own bag, Barret tossed Cloud a fresh shirt. Thanking him, Cloud doused it with water before squeezing some of it out and re-entering the tent. Glad to see Aerith listening to him for once and laying snug within her futon, he settled by her side as he signaled with the makeshift towel in his hand.

"This isn't iced, but it'll help," he informed.

"Thank you," Aerith softly murmured as she felt his hand press the damp towel against her forehead. She nearly shivered with the way his fingers so gently caressed the hair out of her face before he retracted them and reached out to turn off the light, but she stopped him with a weak hand.

"What is it?" he asked, eyes peering into hers in question.

"… Nothing." And she let him go.

Cloud sucked his lips in before he slowly took his seat next to Aerith's side, catching her off-guard as she curiously watched his every movement. When he didn't look like he was going to leave, she cracked a weak smile. "I see that you're not afraid to get sick."

" _Hn._ I have a boosted immune system—it's a SOLDIER thing."

Knowing fully well how he was just making that up, Aerith broke into laughter, but it turned into a horrible coughing fit as she faced away so that she didn't spread any germs to him. However, it probably didn't matter with the poor ventilation in the tent.

"Alright, first-class SOLDIER, but I'm serious—I'll be fine. I don't want you to catch my cold, so go," Aerith managed to croak out as she pushed him with a weak arm. She had stopped him because she was feeling a bit lonely with this gigantic tent all to herself, but the last thing she wanted was for anyone to get sick because of her.

"It's fine," he awkwardly said. "I'll leave once Tifa gets back. Then she can take care of you for the rest of the night."

"No, no, she doesn't have to. I don't want her to sleep with me either—she'll catch my cold!"

"… Then where is she going to sleep?" Cloud pursed his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck in thought. "I mean sure, she can sleep with me and Barre—"

"Wait, no," Aerith instantly sat up as her imagination began to run wild. Cloud instantly tried to push her back, expression getting a bit annoyed with her stubbornness. "You guys are both… _guys._ "

At first, Cloud didn't understand what she was talking about, but when she started to twiddle her fingers in embarrassment, he finally realized what she meant.

"It's just Tifa," he deadpanned. "And we're too dead tired for any funny business."

"Still."

"What, do you want her to sleep outside then with Red? I mean, Red's pretty warm himself—"

"Not that either! Okay, never mind, forget it." Red with embarrassment this time, Aerith fell back and slunk back into the futon, belittling herself for suddenly acting like a kid. Perhaps this fever was making her a little doozy.

"… Anything else you need?"

"Nothing. And Tifa can sleep wherever. Just not with me since, yeah."

"We're not weak, you know," Cloud scoffed as he stared at her form that now faced away from him. "Kid you not, I've never seen Tifa sick—ever. She works out so much, her immune system is begging for a break. And like I said, it's a SOLDIER thing. I don't get sick either."

"… Are you trying to say something about me?" Aerith turned back around to shoot him a glare, but it was on the playful side more than anything. "I got sick, so am I weak?"

"I mean," Cloud was about to say how, despite her strong magical abilities, her physical strength was a bit… _lacking._ However, catching himself from saying something so impudent, he clasped his mouth shut and grimaced instead. Of course, Aerith didn't need him to say it to know what he was thinking.

"Look, I may not be not be as built as Tifa, but I got a little something here too!" Aerith flexed her thin arm, not at all convincing Cloud as he gave her a blank look. She hiccupped when one of his hands grasped onto her upper arm before squeezing it.

"I can snap you like a twig if I wanted to," Cloud rolled his eyes before he let her go. "Come back once you've hit the gym for a week."

"For a first-class SOLDIER, you don't seem too strong yourself," Aerith shot back. If she couldn't win over him in battle, she could at least take a shot at his ego. "Boosted immune system? _Pfft_ , I doubt it. Let a few winds blow over, and you'll end up just like me."

The Cetra tried not to laugh as she watched the way his eye twitched in agitation. His mouth opened, only to close back up as he struggled to find the right words to say. Expecting him to dismiss it and finally leave her for the night, the last thing she expected was for him to suddenly get closer.

"Test me," he said, almost growling. "Make the winds blow, hit me with your blizzard magic, just whatever."

"W-Wait, Cloud," Aerith stammered, placing a hand against his chest. He obviously didn't seem to realize how he was subconsciously getting closer just to get his point across. "I'm a little bit too tired to test your theory out."

"… Fine. We can do it another way. Like this."

Aerith nearly yelped when Cloud suddenly tugged her closer by the shoulder, placing his face right in front of hers as his serious expression never dissipated. Closer, she saw his sapphire eyes, stained by the energy of mako as they seemingly swirled within his irises. Her heart nearly leaped up her throat as it pounded incredibly fast, making her even more delirious than her fever.

"Cloud, what are you—"

"Keep talking. Or just cough, I don't mind. I think that'd work."

" _What?_ "

Aerith blinked at him, and just like that, her racing heartbeat slowed as it dawned on her what he was trying to do.

He was trying to get sick.

"You're joking," Aerith half-whispered. Then, she broke into chortles, earning his perturbed gaze as he allowed her to pull away and clutch her stomach to contain the laughter. "Cloud, you're so funny!"

"What's so funny?" he asked, completely oblivious. Even though he was already twenty-one, he felt like there was some sort of mind gap that rendered him clueless about what he did that made Aerith suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter. People got sick because of germs, right? So, he figured that talking in close proximity or a simple cough would've been enough to get whatever virus that caused her cold into his system. It seemed like the easiest way.

"Do you really want to get sick?" she managed to spit out after she quelled enough of her giggles down. "Want to put your immune system up to the test? There's a better way."

"Which is?"

"Like this."

The tent shook a bit as Aerith grabbed Cloud from behind the neck and pulled him down on top of her, futon underneath him as half her body stuck out from it. From the outside, Barret gave their tent a dubious glance, only to blame it on the light breeze that flew across the vast desert.

When Cloud propped himself up against the ground with his elbows, his hair dropped past his eyes as his fringe brushed against Aerith's face. With brilliant, green eyes freezing him in his tracks and flushed cheeks creating a weird knot at the pit of his stomach, his mouth parted out of surprise as he stared at her.

"U-Uh," he dumbly stuttered, eyes searching her face in an attempt to find an explanation. Her smile gave no answers as her eyes twinkled. If someone told him that she was sick, he wouldn't believe it—she looked so energetic.

"Why so stiff, SOLDIER?" she asked playfully. "Scared for the test?"

"Depends on what's on it," he gulped. Having her face so close in this position made him feel… weird. Straightening his jaw, he forced himself to slink back into his tough-guy façade despite the nervousness that bubbled in his blood.

"Come closer," Aerith said softly.

"Closer?" He was already mighty close—any closer and…

"Yes, closer. Like this." With two hands behind his neck, she tugged him down by a millimeter, accentuating the small distance between them as the smile on her face never went away. "Closer."

"More?" he muttered in question. Nonetheless, he came closer—close enough to see his reflection in her eyes.

Aerith wondered if he had any idea what she was suggesting at all as he obeyed her words and hovered above her. While she could sense his nervousness, he was a lot calmer than she would've thought. It was almost as if he wasn't stirred at all, and that made Aerith suddenly self-conscious.

However, her three-second train of thought immediately stopped when Cloud unexpectedly leaned in and pressed his mouth against hers, even when she hadn't said anything. Eyes widening immensely, she subconsciously clutched onto his shirt before she later shut her eyes closed as a large frown creased her forehead.

Clumsy was the chaste connection, and it didn't last too long as Cloud pulled away.

"Sorry," he muttered, eyes directed towards the side so that he didn't have to look at her. "I wasn't thinking."

"Do you even know what you're doing right now?" Aerith dared to ask as she let her hands fall off his shoulders and back onto the ground—she was starting to feel tired, and it wasn't because of how sick she felt. "Or are you just not aware?"

Even when they were in this position, Aerith still couldn't keep herself from teasing the merc. There was something about him that made it so funny to mess with him, especially whenever it had something to do with his pride or ego. Awkward he was, and awkward he was now.

"I know what I'm doing," Cloud scoffed. Then, he lowered himself back down. "I'm getting sick." And he kissed her once more.

Prepared this time, Aerith fluttered her eyes shut and brought her arms back as her body began to burn through every limb.

Unlike the first time, his lips actually moved as they slid against hers with soft, feathery friction. A part of Aerith wondered if he was just going with the flow or if he was serious about the getting sick part, but half her brain stopped working when his mouth opened to hers, parting to allow his warm tongue to trace a line on her bottom lip.

Fingernails nearly clawing into the skin of his shoulders and heartbeat raging out of control, Aerith tentatively loosened the muscles around her mouth as she stuck out her tongue to meet his in a slippery dance. His mouth felt so warm and soft, and she almost let out an embarrassing sound when his appendage dove deeper into her cavern before he lifted his head up and broke their connection for a second time.

If it hadn't been for the return of Tifa and Red with their water for tonight, they would've kept going.

"… I think that's enough," Cloud said breathily. It was as if he just finished a workout as he sat back up and removed himself from her. Incredibly red and dizzy from the kiss (and most definitely not from the fever), Aerith propped herself up as she stared at Cloud in stupor. She was unable to process what they just did because of how easy and smooth it was. Did it even happen?

"Cloud, you're an idiot," Aerith blurted, a bit upset that he was able to kiss her so easily. Did he really believe that all of this was under the pretense of getting sick? She knew he was dense about this sort of stuff since Tifa had been giving him signals since day one, only for them to be ignored and mistaken as familial love, but really? Aerith wasn't blind to his lack of romantic awareness, but she didn't know it could be this bad.

"You're going to be the idiot soon once I prove you wrong," he sighed as he took the makeshift towel that sadly laid forgotten. He signaled towards it with a wave before nodding towards the outside. "I'm going to rewet this. And Tifa's going to be sleeping here tonight whether you like it or not."

"Doesn't seem like I can stop either of you," Aerith let out disappointedly.

Waiting for Cloud to just leave so that she could continue to burn in embarrassment, she watched as he crawled out of the tent. However, before he left, he turned back and gave her a hesitant look.

"By the way, I know what a kiss is. I'm not that dumb."

Aerith blinked once. Then twice. Then he was gone.

Instantly, Aerith flew back down onto her futon and slunk back into it, squealing silently as she rolled around the hard floor like a little kid.

He _did_ know what he was doing.

In a few moments later, she heard loud clangs of metal as sloshes of water spilled out and seeped into the sand, earning a very loud complaint from Tifa and Red.

"Cloud, we _just_ hauled all that water from the stream, how could you just bump them all over like that?"

"Sorry, I'm just trying to wet this towel for Aeri—"

"Get your own water next time," she heard Red growl as she crawled over closer to the entrance to hear better. "But I guess you're too busy talking inside the tent. Without words."

"What do you mean by that, Red?" Barret asked cluelessly.

"… Did you hear something?" Cloud asked.

"It appears that you underestimate my sense of hearing—of course."

"What did you hear?" Tifa questioned, also unknowing.

"Nothing, nothing!" and Cloud hurriedly picked up the now-empty buckets. "I'll get more water now. Sorry."

"You better get moving!"

Aerith tried not to laugh out loud as she heard the sounds of Cloud desperately trying to escape the situation. She had to quickly go back into her futon though when she heard Tifa's footsteps approaching the tent.

"Aerith, you doing alright?"

Glad that she could use her slight fever as an excuse for her warm, red face, Aerith nodded as Tifa brought in another blanket along with her own futon.

"What happened outside?"

Tifa rolled her eyes as she settled her things next to Aerith. "Cloud over there knocked down all the water me and Red just fetched. I know he's clumsy, but I didn't know he was _that_ clumsy."

"Is that so?" giggled Aerith.

"What were you guys doing while we were gone?" Tifa innocently asked. "Red seemed to have something on Cloud; it was funny to see him so flustered."

"Nothing. We were just making a bet."

"Bet?"

"That he will get sick."

Tifa laughed as she untied the hair tie from her hair as she slipped into the warmth of her futon. "Sounds fun. Too bad he'll lose."

"Right?"

And lo and behold, three days later at the inn, Cloud laid bedridden and feverish, red out of both sickness and embarrassment.

Truly, his boosted immune system didn't win him out of this one.


End file.
